Game apparatus



Oct. 2,0, 1931. L. B. sPAFFoRD GAME APPARATUS Filed March 22. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l LAN S S Oct. 20, 1931. B. sPAFFoRD GAME APPARATUS Filed March 22. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 @..Wwmwv n. meh

QM Dh. :IlA/wix ATTORNEY Oct. 20, 1931. l.. B. sPAFFoRD 1,828,091

l GAME APPARATUS Filed March 22. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 v INVENTOR. EW/5 .SP1-WU@ A TTORNEY Oct. 20, 1931. B. sPAFFoRD GAME APPARATUS Filed March 22, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR. f//f Q4/7:0190

424 6:7 A TTORNEYS.

Patented ct. 20, 1931 P ENT oep-@ rllhis invention relates to lal gaine apparatus particularly designed vfor the indoor play'- i-n'g, teachii'ilg, and practicing of golf or other gaines in which ball is 'struck by 'a club 'or vide "an apparatus Ain Which :the 'striking of a regulation ball by the Aregulation clubs Will impart fa vcorrespending projection to `a s'inaller ball 'which is 'used With the device.

' Another object v`of my invention is to fprovide ine-ans whereby the projection of the sinall ball ivil'l'be projected similarly to the }`Jroje`ction 'of the larger ba'l'l with respect to direction, elevation, and relativel distance.

. n further objectofiny invention is to secoordinater tlieva-rious parts 'of 'the 'device that the lelenunts controlling direction, elevation, and distance will lact automatically 'in the reif quiredlsequence so that the project-ion of the e1" ball Will Vfollow the projection ofthe regu ation Jball in one striking of 'the club.

' A Afurther object 'of iny invention isto have the device adj ustably mounted withk respect fig the .playing lsurface, so that theimpact member for the Vslnal-ler ball may be .moved to follow up `said ball and "also bepositioned to properly Kstrike thefsain'e.

A further 'object of my invention is topi'o'- vide va device which is simple inscons'ti'uction andoperation and one which will efficiently accomplish the `objects for'which it is Vdesigned.

The invention consists further Ain the inat- 5 ters `hereinafter described and claimed;

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. l is latop plan view ofa game appara tus constructed in accordance with my in'- vention;

2 vis, a vertical on line v2l-2foi` F ig. 1;

eFig. 3 is a view oi the arm-structureto be hereinafter described; l

Figs. 4,15, vand 6 are vertical sectionaliviews taken on lines Y 4-t, "5h15, and 6 6, respecl tively, of Fig. '3 toshow'd'etails of structure Fig. 7, is a yhorizontal sectional view taken .on line 7"-7 'ofFig "3; I

Fig. 7 'e illustrate'sa cable 'arrangement to be. hereinafter descibedg sectional view taken Fig. 8 is ravertica'l `l`qua-rter` section taken @nimes-8 offFig. 7;

lFig. 9` is an elevational View taken ion line 9`- 9 of Fi'gfg Fig. l0 is a quarte'i` section through the 55 mounting of the l'paddle support;

Fig. ,11 yis a top `plan View of the paddle;

`F ig. 12 is front View of the paddle;

Fig. 13V is aside vie'wof Vthe :paddle assembly with dotted lines indicating the acti-on oi 60 the structure;

:Fig: 14 lis a "diagrammatic view showing the adjstnents which may Vbe given `the paddle;

Fig. 15 isa View showing one of the cable sheaves niounted Iin the afi-nr;

F ig. 16 vis a vvievv'showing the mounting for one of the turnable rods;

Fig. '17 is la -view partly in elevation 'and partly in lsection at the lowery end of this rod; 70

Fig. 18 is a iront View oi' the clamp and roller vcarriage `assembly to be hereinafter "described;an'd f fFig. 19 'is a side view of thisfassenibly with parts shown in vertical section.

' The `game Aapparatus of my invention coin- :prises fa :playing surface A, Whichinay be sup`- .ported on a table `such as B in F ig. 2. The surface A may ybe given such coniiguration and `design as required for the character of the gaine to be played, taught, `or practiced with Amy improved apparatus. In Fig. l, a golf course is represented on the surface A, Aand the latter, asfshown in Fig. 2, is inade to 'cnforin Vto the :general topgiapl'iical contour 'of such 'a course.

LThe tees of 'the course `rare:appropriate'lv located over the yplay-ing surface and for illustratio'n are marked 1 to 10 inclusive. rllhe fairways areindicated lby dot'and 'dash lines, 9G and the direction of play over yeach ai'rivay is indicated `by an arrow. The tees7 are preferably indicated by square outlines, While the greens at the ends 'of the respective `fairways are indicated by lcircular loutlines, as shown. The llengths 'of the fairways inay be varied and they inay be leither straight 'or irregular as on a regulation golf course.

"On `at least Vone side y'of kthe playing surface A is provided a track or rail 11, upon which is movable a suitable roller carriage 12 carrying an arm structure 13.

A paddle 14 is carried by the arm 13 at its inner end or at the end of the arm which is over the playing surface A. The paddle 14 is so mounted that it may be moved to project a small or secondary ball 15 (Fig. 13) over the surface A upon the striking of a larger ball 16 at the outer end of the arm 13. When the surface A is on a table, as shown in Fig. 2, the outer portion of the arm 13 extends downward toward the fioor so that the larger ball 16 may lie on the floor in position to be struck by a regulation golf club of the character used in the game of golf. The ball 16 may be a regulatlon golf ball, but it is preferably captive in that it is connected with the paddle 14 through means to be presently described.

Arranged in the vertical portion of the arm 13 is a rod or equivalent element 17. The rod 17 is journaled in the arm by members 18, 18 which are rigidly secured to the arm and whichencircle the rod and engage in annular grooves therein so that the rod may have turning movement in the arm. As an additional support the upper end of the rod 17 is attached to the horizontal part of the arm 13 by a screw 19 and around which are arranged bearing balls in a recess in the end of the rod to give it ease of movement. (See Fig. 6.)

The lower end of the rod 17 its into a socket at the upper end of the member 20, which extends below the rod and forms a downward continuation thereof. A set screw 21 connects the member 20 to the rod 17 so that both turn together'. The member 20 is provided with an elongated vertical slot 22 through which extends a lever 23 which is fulerumed between its ends in the slot on a pin 24. Theouter end of the lever 23 is provided with a loop or eye through which passes a cord or flexible cable 25 and to which cable is permanently attached the ball 16.

A grooved roller or sleeve 26 is mounted in the slot 22 above the fulcrum pin 24, and the cable 25 passes under the roller, as shown in Fig. 17. The cable 25, on leaving the roller 26, extends upward through the vertical portion of the arm 13 and passes over a sheave 27 located at the junction of the horizontal and vertical portions of the arm. From there the cable 25 extends along the inside of the horizontal portion of the arm 13 and passes under a sheave 28 adjacent the inner end of the arm, as shown in Fig. 3. From here the cable 25 passes over another sheave 29 at the inner end of the arm and extends down toward the paddle 14, where it `is adjustably connected with a screw rod 30 fixed to a member 31 to the lower end of which the paddle 14 is pivotally connected. Through the cable 25 the distance of the smaller ball 15 is determined when struck by the paddle 14.

A cable 32 connects the lever 23 on the side of its fulcrum 24 opposite the ball 16 with a rotatable disc 33 at the upper end of the vertical portion of the arm 13, as shown in Fi 3 and 5. A cable 34 is connected to this disc and extends along and within the horizontal portion of the arm 13 to a drum 35 about which the cable extends and to Vwhich it is secured so as to turn the drum through the u ward and downward swinging movements o the lever 23.

The drum 35, as shown in Fig. 3, is provided with a pair of radially arranged lugs 36 and 37 to the former of which is connected a cable 38 which extends downward to the paddle 14 and is connected with an outwardly extending portion 39 of said paddle so as to turn the same about its ulcrum connection 40 with the lower end of the member 31 and thus give elevation to the flight of theball 15 when the latter is struck by the paddle, as indicated b dotted line in Fig. 13. The cable 38 extends through a guide 41 fixed to the inner end of the arm 13. The eye or loop in this guide through which the cable extends, as shown in Fig. 3, is offset outward from and is in horizontal alignment with the fulcrum 42 of the member 31 so that the fulerum points of the cable and the member 31 will be in the same horizontal plane and thus prevent any change in the angular position of the paddle 14 with respect to member 3l when cable 25 alone is actuated. In further explanation of this I may state that cable 38 will cause paddle 14 to swing independently of the member 31. That is to say, in operating the device by hand, for instance the paddle 14 can be made to change the angle of incline without any change in position of member 31. 'Ihe eye or loop has the same position relative to the paddle as the fulcrum'42. Hence, any change in inclination of the paddle will take place re ardless of the inclination of member 31. or instance, if I merely pull the ball forward without impact at an angle of 45 degrees the paddle will take the position of 45 degrees but member 31 will not move. When the ball is struck and velocity imparted to it, the member 31 will move forward according to the force of the impact, but member 31 and cable 38 acting from approximately the same pivots, the movement of the paddle relative to member 31 will be the same as though the member 31 were standing still. A coiled spring 43 is connected to the other lug 37 and serves to permit the return of the paddle 14 to its normal vertical position in the dropping by gravity of the member 31 after the secondary ball 15 has been projected through the striking of the primary ball 16.

The member 31 is carried by a rod or other equivalent element 44 which is turnably sup- A pair of cables 47, 48 extend between and* are connected to the rods 17 and 44, resp-ectively, as shown in Fig. 7 These'cabl'es are arranged on opposite sides of the rods and extend around each of them so'that, when the rod 17 is turned'vin either direction, a corresponding turning will 'be given to rod 44. This will change the angular position of the rpaddle 14 to accord with the direction that the ball 16 goes when struck by a club and thus impart a like direction of movement to the smallerball 15, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 14.

The armstructure 13 may consist of a pair ofV channel shaped members 49, 50 arranged with their channels opposed soV as to provide housing for the cables and other associated parts ofthe device. A vertically arranged partition plate 51' is mounted in the channel or" one et the members, such as 50,.so as to keep the cable y when slack from getting caught by the clamp structure to be presently described.' As shown in Fig.f15, the partition i plate 51 is provided with a projection-52 CJD Cit

which extends over theV upper side of the sheave 27 and serves as a guard to prevent the cable V25--rom lifting out. of:y the Oroove in the slieave. y

The horizontaliportion of the a-rm 13 extends through -a suitablebox 53 which rests on the top of an inverted U-shaped frame 54,

. asshown in Figs. 18 and 19. Members 49 and 5G are clampedinithe box 53 through a rack 55"which is lconnected at its upper endwith the lower end of a tube 56. Said tube has a headed engagement at its upper end with a clamp plate 57 which rests directly on the upper portions of members 49, 50 within the boX. The tube 56 extends between the opposed inner edges of themembers 49, 50 and is on the side of the partition plate 51. A handle 58 is trunnionedon upright plates 59, 59 over the outer sides of which the frame 54 has a sliding movement. Pivoted to the handle 58'is a tubular link 60 which has a -rod 61 fitting within the link and provided with a bail 62 which extends about therack 55 and engages the teeth thereof. When the handle 58 is turned downward to the position shown in Fig. 19, .the link is drawn downward against the spring 63 about therod 61, and the latter draws the rack 55 inthe same direction toclamp the members'49 andi 50 in thel boX through tlieplate 57. Y

A lscrew `64' extends downward throughthe tube 56 andspasses through a nut f65which' is carried belov7 the tube a bracket fixedl tothel frame 54. The screw 64 has threaded engagement with a top plate 67 which rests? on the plate 57 and has its ends reduced so as to lit under the end portions of thebozrwhich are made by' cutting away the top wall of the box, as shown. The lower end oi' the screw 64 rests in a cup 68011 a horizontal web 69 which is'pre-ferably made intergral withthe uprghts 59, as shown. The frame 54 also slides over an upright webl-lil which car-ries the'tr'ack 11 and which web 11a is secured to the-table at the side of 4surface A.

These uprights also havey another hori- Zontalv web'70 which is below the track 11. Suitable rollersv 71, 71 are carried by the webs69, and engage against the opposite sides of the track 1-1. The upper web r*69' also supports a number of rollers 72which travel on the upper edge of the trackas shown. These rollers permit the carriage 12 andtliearm 13 to bel adjusted along the track when the handle 58 is swung upwardfte-its`- released orinon-clampingposition. lVlien in clamping position, the spring strips 73, 73' are pressedagaiiist the track 11 and hold the roller carriage from accidental'sliding move# ment and also'the handle in its clamped po-- sition. By turning the screw .64, through the handle at its upper end, the arm 13 willfbe adjusted vertically so as to bring' the paddlev 14 into 'the desired position with respect to the ball'15 on the playingsurface` A.

The game is played as follows.' The small ball 15 is place'dlat any desired location von the playing surface A, preferably at No.- 1 tee, at the-start of the gaine. The arnil13 is thenadjusted along the track and longitudinally over thesurface A to position the paddle 14behind the ball 15. Ir the paddle 14 needs vertical adjustment, the screw 64' is turned to raise or lower the paddle as the situation may require. The angular setting of the arm 13 with respect to the track will depend on the positionrequiredy to drive the ball 1.5 down theifairway. The 'carriage 12 and the arm 13 are then clamped in placeand the game is ready to be played.-

The-ball. 16 issetinf'thedesired position"V on'the lloor andthe player with the selected golf club, as for instance a driver, strikes the ball 16 in the saine wayas he would when drivi'ngthe ball down a'tair-way in a regularl game of golf. When the ball 16 is struck, the slack in thecable 25 is iirst taken up in the flight of theball, and it the latter is sliced itfgoe'sl to one side' or the other of the' arm 13 and p'ulls on the lever23 to turn'ro'ds17 and 44 and adjust the paddle '14' aboutla ver# tical axis to cause the smallerI or secondary ball 15 to be vprojected bythe paddlein* the same direction as the larger or primary ball."

If thelargerball 16 goes upward, the yleverV 23 is yraised accordingly through cables 32, 34,- A

and 38 to tilt the .paddle 14 to theang-le reiiv to project the ball 15 to substantially the same elevation as the liight of the larger balli, When the ball 16 finally draws out the cable 25 the paddle 14 is swung upward with itsmemter ai, and the smaller bau i5 is uien projected by the paddle to the same relative distance that the larger ball would go if free. The movements of the paddle 14 as just described follow automatically in sequence, and the flight of the smaller ball when struck is similar to the projection of the larger ball in direction, elevation, and relative distance.

With the apparatus of my invention, the light of the smaller ball will depend upon the skill of the player striking the larger ball. Thus,l should the pa er make a slice or a hook on the larger all, the same motion would be translated to the smaller ball. In this waycperfect and im erfect shots will be registere by the smallerIhall so that the game not only affords amusement but also provides means for practice and teaching. The player in using the same clubs that are used in the regular golf game may, by noting the flight of the smaller ball, rectify the errors in is strokes and also gauge the force of his strokes in relation to the distance he wishes to drive the small ball. The player plays the ame in exactly the same manner as he wou d the regular game of golf, using dill'erent clubs, selecting the one adaptable to the lay of the ball in addition to playing the game, instead of having merely a practice device which in and of itself would have no amusement features. Each time the small ball comes to rest on the surface A, the apparatus is adjusted for the next play, and this is repeated from time to time as may be required to play the entire course. The surface A may be of felt or such other material which will represent the turf of a golf course gd thus prevent too free rolling of the ball When a number of players play the game, the arm 13 is adjusted along and over the surface A to position the paddle 14 at the tee from which the play is to be made. Then each player in turn projects a small ball 15 toward the green associated with the tee. There will be as many small balls as there are players, and the small balls may be differently colored or otherwise marked so that they may be distinguished one from the other. After all the players have teed off, then the arm 13 is adjusted to bring its paddle 14 to the rear of the small ball farthest from the green. The arm will be set at such angle as to normally project the small ball in the direction of the green.

1n the actual striking of the large ball, however, the player may slice or make an imperfect shot and the small ball will be projected accordingly. The arm is next adjusted t0 take care of the small ball farthest from the green. The player possessing that ball will attempt to drive it toward the green, using such club as he may select for the purpose for controlling direction, elevation, and distance. lVhen the small balls of all the players reach the green, then the putting takes place through the medium of the paddle 14, and, when the players hole out or project their balls in the cup, the arm 13 is adjusted for the next tee. This method of operation is continued until the players have driven their balls along each of theA several fairways of the course and have putted them into the various cups of the course, marked on the surface A. The number of strokes taken by each player for each fairway are counted and the total computed constitutes thefscore, the same as in the regular game of gol One of the important features of my invention is the automatic adjustment of the paddle or impact member 14 for translating to the smaller ball the same conditions of projection as given to the larger ball. While I have shown cables for this purpose, other means, mechanical or otherwise, could be used for accomplishing the result. I would not wish to be limited to a mechanical arrangement, as it is within the spirit and scope of my invention to employ pneumatic, electric, or other iiicaiis or such purpose.

Another feature of my invention resides in the adjustability of the arm 13, lengthwise, crosswise, and up and down with respect to the surface A, as well as at various angles to the track, so that the impact member 14 may be set to accord with the lay or position of the small ball on said surface.

The surface A may be arranged at such elevation as may be desired. It may be suppoi'ted on the top of a table, as shown in Fig. 2, or it may be located on the floor. When s o located, the arm 13 will have its outer vertical portion much shorter than shown, so as to be in keeping with the height of the surface A above the floor.

While I have shown and described herein the apparatus of my invention as applied to the gaine of golf, it is also adaptableior other games using projectible playing pieces and either bats or clubs for projecting the same. Among such games are tennis and hockey. For games of the character mentioned, such changes will be made in the apparatus as will be required to adapt the apparatus tothe pai'- ticular game represented; otherwise, .the principle of operation hereinbeiore described will remain the same.

The details of structure shown and described may be variously changed and modified Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A game apparatus comprising, in combination, primary and secondary projectible members, an arm, an impact element carried by the arm, and means carried by the arm whereby the projection of the primary member will cause the impact element to project the secondary member similar to the projection of the primary member with respect to direction, elevation, and distance.

2. A game apparatus comprising an arm, a paddle carried by the arm and connected therewith in a manner permitting the paddle to be swung, turned, and angularly adjusted with respect to the arm, a projectible member associated with said arm, and means carried by the arm whereby the projection oi said member will automatically cause the paddle to be turned, angularly adjusted, and swung for direction, elevation, and distance, respectively.

3. A game apparatus comprising an arm, a pair of turnable elements carried by said arm in spaced relation along the length of the same, a paddle pivotally connected to one of said elements, a projectible member attached to the other element, and cable means associated with the elements, the paddle. and the projectible member, respectively, for operating the paddle through the impulse of the projection given to the projectible member.

4;. A game apparatus comprising, in combination, a playing surface, an arm adjustable with respect to said surface, an impact element carried by said arm, a projectible member associated with said arm, and means carried by said arm for imparting movement to the impact element upon the projection of the projectible member.

A game apparatus comprising, in combination, an arm. a paddle at one end of the arm, means providing a pivotal and turnable connection for the paddle with the arm, an element turnably mounted at the other end of the arm, a lever pivoted to said element, a projectible member associated with said lever, and cable means connecting the member and lever, respectively, to the paddle for operating the latter upon the projection of said member.

6. A game apparatus comprising, in combination, an arm, a paddle at one end of the arm, a projectible member at the other end of the arm, and means carried by the arm for connecting the paddle with the projectible member in a manner to cause the paddle to be turned about a vertical axis and to be adjusted and swung, respectively, about horizontal axes under the impulse of the projection of the projectible member.

7. A game apparatus comprising, in combination, an arm, an element carried by the arm for turning on a vertical axis, a member iivoted to said element on a horizontal axis, a paddle pivoted on a like axis to said member, cable means for turning the element and for swinging the paddle and member, respectively, about their respective axes, and a guidey for causing the'cable for thepaddle tofex-tend' thereto from a point in horizontal alignment withlthe pivotal. axis of the member. .f l8. A. game apparatus comprising, in combina-tion, an arm, a paddle andv a lever pivotal -y connected to the ar :i in spaced relation along the klength of the same, a pi jectible member associated with said leveiyand means including' cables` connecting the proj ectible member and` lever, respectively, to the paddle, theV connection ofthe cable to the lever being adjustable so that the tilt given to the paddle may be regulated with respect to the tilt of the lever.Y

9. A game apparatus comprising,in combination, an arm, a i,iaddle assembly pirotally connected with the arm, a projectible..member associated with the arm. and means including cables connecting the projectible member with the paddle assembly, the cable for swinging the paddle assembly having adjustable connection therewith so that the projective force of the paddle may be regulated with respect to the impulse Oiven to the proj ectible member.

l0. A game apparatus comprising, in combination, a playing surface, a track associated therewith, a carriage movable along said track, an arm adjustably mounted on the carriage and extending over said playing surface, means carried by the arm for projecting a member over the playing surface, and means whereby the carriage and the arm ma?.7 be clamped in any of their adjustable positions with respect to the track.

1l. A game apparatus comprising, in combination, a playing surface. two projectible members. one a secondary member to be projected over said surface and the other a primary member which be projected in any forward direction exterior of said surface, means for transmitting the impulse of the projection of the primary member to the secondary member for causing the projection of the latte-r over said surface. and means for causing the projection of the secondary to simulate the projection of the primary member.

1Q. A game apparat-us comprising, in combination, a playing surface having a representation of a golf course thereon, two balls, one being a regulation golf ball and the other being a smaller ball, means for transmitting. the impulse of the projection of the golf ball by a golf club exterior of said surface in any forward direction to project the smaller ball over said surface, and means for causing the projection of the smaller ball to simulate the projection of the golf ball with respect to direction, elevation, and distance.

13. The combination with primary and secondary projectable members, of impact means for the secondary member, and means for transmitting the impulse of the projection of llO the primary member to said impact means for causing the projection of the secondar mem--` ber by said impact means to simulate tlie pro jection of the rimary member.

14. The combination with primary and secondary proj ectable members, of impact means for the secondary member, and means for transmitting the impulse of the projection of the primary member to said impact means for causing the projection of the secondary member by said impact means to simulate the projection of the primary member with respect to direction, elevation and distance.

15. The combination with two projectable f members, one being captive and the other being free, of impact means for the free member, and means for transmitting;r the impulse of the projection of the captive member to said impact means for causing the projection of the free member by said impact means to simulate the projection of the captive member.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signa-ture.

LEWIS B. SPAFFORD. 

